Temperature-control device for laundry washing machines



March 2 1926. 1,575,188

1 w. M. CHACE TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE FOR LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES3'3 INVENTCR.

M zL LLiam Chase ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 2 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. CHACE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TEMPERATURE-CONTROL DEVICE FOR LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES.

Application filed February 4, 1924. Serial No. 690,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. CHACE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have inventedacertain new and useful Improvement in Temperature-Control Devices forLaundry Washing Machines, and declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact creasing beyond a' predetermined degree through injection ofsteam thereinto, and the novel feature of the invention resides in thecombination with a steam line for supplying steam to heat the water 'ofthe wash ing machine of a thermostatic device through movement of which.the injection of the steam into the water is stopped when thetemperature of the water has reached the predetermined degree.

Usually laundry machines, especially in the larger plants, are arrangedin batteries of a number and during the washing of the clothing thetemperature of thewater decreases and the attendant attempts to maintainthe water at as nearly a predetermined temperature as possible bymanually ad mitting steam to the water and to close the valve at thetime he considers or finds the temperature to be sufliciently high. Thisde- Vice seeks to at all times indicate the temperature of the water inthe laundry machine whereby the attendant is informed if additional heatis required and, if so, the steam valve is opened and without furtherattention on the part of the operator the valve is closed throughoperation of the device when the Water has reached predeterminedtemperature thereby reducing the necessity of continued attention by theoperator.

A further feature of the invention is involved inthe arrangement-of theindicator device whereby the steam line maybe closed upon the waterattaining any predetermined degree of temperature. Other features of theinvention are .involved in the arrangement of the thermostatic elementand its connection with the temperature indicating mechanism. These andother objects and the several novel features of the invention arehereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form ofconstruction of a temperature control device embodying my invention isshown in the. accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 'is an end elevationof a laundry washing machine showing my improved temperature controldevice in its relationship therewith.

Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the temperature indicator and mechanismcontrolled {hereby for causing the closing of the steam Fig. 3 is asection taken on line 33' 5f Fig. 2. y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1 showingthe arrangement of the thermostatic element and its relationship to thelaundry machine.

The laundry machine is of the usual type, an end elevation only of whichis here shown as the structure of the same is common and well known inthe art. The machine consists of the cylinder 1 on the end of which ismounted a gear 2 driven by the small spur gears 3. This gear 2 rotatesacylinder (not here shown but as is commonly the practice) mounted withinthe outer cylinder 1 and the machanism for the admission of the Water tothis outer cylinder is not here shown.

The end wall of the cylinder 1, indicated at 4 in Fig. his provided withan aperture 5 and water admitted to the cylinder 1 may pass through theaperture into the closed casing 6 which is preferably flanged and boltedto the outside face of the end wall 4 preferably near the bottom of thecylinder as indicated in Fig. 1. The wash Water thus may freely flowinto the casing -6 and, due

to rotation of the inner cylinder, this wash water is, continuallychanged in the casing 6 so that the temperature of the water in thecasing is substantially that of the water within the cylinder 1. Thiscasing 6 at the upper end is provided with an aperture closed by meansof a plug 7 for the purpose of inspection or cleaning if necessary andon one side of the casing is a small tube -8 shown in Fig. 1, whichprovides a vent for the casing preventing pocketing of air in the casingwhereby the water may freely flow into the said casing. The casing isprovided with a bearing 9 and packing gland 10. of any approved form toprevent leakage.

On the inner end of the shaft 13 rotatable in the bearing 9 is abi-metallic element 11 which is of the usual type formed of two metalsof different coefficients of expansion thereby sensitive to temperaturechange. Preferably, the element 11 is in the form of a spiral, the outerend of which may be attached to the casing as indicated at 12 and theinner end of which is fixedly secured to the shaft 13 as indicated at14. This shaft extends through the bearing 9 and gland 10 and on theprojecting end of the shaft is secured a sprocket wheel 15. Thisbi-metallic element 11 is so arranged that upon increase of temperatureand tendency of the coil to unwin the shaft is turned in one directionand upon decrease of temperature and tendency to wind up of thebi-metallic element 11 the shaft is turned in opposite direction.

Steam may be admitted to the cylinder 1 by means of a steam line 16, thelower end.

of which opens into the interior of the cylinder 1 as will be understoodfrom the drawing. This steam line is provided with a valve indicated at17, the stem 18 of which has connected therewith a lever 19. This lever,when the valve is closed lies in the position shown in full lines inFig. 2 and is to be manually opened by raising the lever from theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in dottedlines in the said figure. The lever is provided at its inner end with anotch 20 and when raised to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2this notch-engages behind a lug 21 provided on a lever 22. The saidlever 22 is pivoted at 23 to an arm 2* Which is to be understood asbeing fastened to the valve member and extends outwardly therefrom andprovides a bearing for a shaft 25. R0- tatable on the shaft is thetemperature indicating plate 26 calibrated as indicated at 27 toindicate various degrees of temperature. Attached to the shaft 25 is aspring arm 28, the end of which provides a pointer movable relative tothe calibrations and on the inner side of this spring arm is a pininsertible, in any one of a number of apertures 29 provided in the plate26. By raising this arm to withdraw the pin from the aperture, the armas'well as the-shaft 25 may be turned and the arm positioned to indicateany one of'a number of de race of temperature. On the inner end of t eshaft and fixed thereto is a weight lever 30 indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3. The end 31 of this lever is inthe same plane as the projecting end of the pivoted lever 22 which liesbehind the temperature indicating plate. is also provided with a counterweight '32, and it is to be noted that in moving the spring pointer 28and turning of the shaft the lever 30 is also turned to bring the end 81nearer to or farther from the end of the The lever 30 r lever 22depending upon the direction in which the lever 28 is moved. Also, onthe end of the lever 24 which extends beyond the indicator plate isprovided a pointer member 33 relative to which the calibrations are tobe read.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the temperature indicatedis approximately sixty degrees F., and it is to be understood that thelever 28 has been moved to indicate approximately one hundred and tendegree. Under the condition shown in Fig. 2 the attendants is advisedthat the temperature of the water in the cylinder 1 is too low.Therefore, the lever 19 is raised to the position shown in dotted lineswhich opens the valve in the steam line and the valve remains open dueto the notch 20 engaging behind the lug 21 of the pivoted lever, theweight of which. tends to hold the lug behind the notch. This opening ofthe valve admits steam to the water of the cylinder and by consequentincrease in temperature of the water, the thermostatic element 11 tendsto expand or unwind turning the shaft 13 and sprocket 15. This sprocket15 is connected by means of a chain 34 with a sprocket 35 attached tothe back of the plate 26. The unwinding of the coil and turning of thesprocket 15 therefore turns the indicator plate and as the temperatureis increased the lever 31 and indicating plate are turned to the left ofthe position shown in Fig. 1, and, as the indicating temperaturecalibration 110 reaches the fixed point 33 the upper end of the lever 31raises the end of the lever 22 raising the lug 21 out of the notch 20and releases the steam valve lever 19 which drops by gravity and closesthe valve. It is apparent from the abovedescription that the attendantis at all times informed as to the temperature of the water in thewashing machine and if the temperature decreases and through the actionof the thermostatic element turns the indicator pointer plate inclockwise direction the attendant may observe the extent of the decreasein degree of temperature and manually open the steani line whereupon theincrease in temperature of the water in the.

cylinder 1 reverses the direction of rotation of the plate and causesthe closing of the steam llne as previously described.

It is further to be observed that this device is applicable for use invarious ways not alone with laundry machines but with other deviceswherein the temperature of an element, for instance a fluid, is to beindicated and furtherwhere it may be desired to prevent thetemperature'increasing beyond a certain degree by controlling an elementproviding the heat. It is further evident that the device is very simplein construction; is practically indestructible and not at all liable toget out of order; is inexpensive to manufacture what I claim is-.-

1. A device of the character described, comprising the combination witha container for fluid, means for heating the fluid and a control device,of a means for preventing the temperature of the fluid increasing beyondapredetermined degree comprising a calibrated member indicatingtemperatures, a movable member for indicating the predetermined highestdegree of temperature desired, an actuator member positioned relative tothe control device by the positioning of the movable member, and abi-metallic element in contact with the fluid of the container adaptedthrough increase in de' gree of temperature to turn the indicator andactuator and actuate the control device to stop injection of heat whenthe desired temperature is attained.

' 2. A control device for controlling the temperature of the water inlaundry washing machines comprising the combination with the saidmachines, a steam line for heating the water, a valve therein adapted tobe manually I-opened and to close by gravity, and means for holding thevalve open, of automatic, means for preventing increase of temperaturebeyond a predeter-' mined degree comprising a calibrated plate, an armmovable relative to the plate to indicate any particular degree oftemperature, a lever connected with the arm and movable therewithwhereby the same is positioned relatively with the arm, means forholdingthe steam valve normally open, and a thermostatic element adapted toturn the plate, arm and lever connected therewith as the temperatureincreases and thereby turning the said lever to release the valveholding mechanism.

3. The combination with a receptacle for holding fluid and a steam lineopening into the receptacle of a valve adapted to be manually opened topermit admission of steam to heat the fluid and to close by gravity,means for holding the valve open, a bi-metallic element subject to theinfluence of temperature change in the fluid of the receptacle, atemperature indicating plate, a pointermember adapted to ,be-adjusted onthe plate toindicate any degree of temperature, a lever correspondinglypositioned by the positioning of the pointer member, the said platebeing connected with the thermostatic element in amanner whereby theexpansion thereof turns the plate to bring the said lever to position torelease the valve holding means upon the temperature reaching the degreeindicated by the pointer.

4, The combination with a receptacle for holding fluid and a steam lineopening into the receptacle, of a valve adapted to be manually opened topermit an admission '05 steam to heat the fluid, said valve beingadapted to automatically close by gravity, a lever adapted to hold thevalve open and means for releasing the lever comprising a bi-metallicelement subject to the influence of temperatureofthe fluid in thereceptacle,

a shaft rotatable by ex ansion or contraction of the bi-metallic eement, an indicator plate calibrated to indicate degrees of temperatureand adapted to be turned by said shaft, a shaft on which the plate isrotatably mounted a pointer member secured to the shaft and adapted tobe fixed to the plate to indicate any one of the degrees oftemperature,a lever also attached to the shaft and movable with the pointer member,the pointer shaft being turned in one direction to release the valveholding lever, the relationship of the calibrated plate, pointer shaftand lever thereon being such that the said lever releases the valveholding lever when\ the fluid has reached the predetermined degree oftemperature.

5.. The combination with a receptacle for fluid and a steam line openingthereinto, of a valve adapted to be manually opened to permit flow ofsteam into the fluid to heat the same and to close by gravity, a leverprovided with a lug adapted to engage a notch provided in the valvelever when the valve is opened to hold the valve open, and V atemperature controlling device for releasing the lever to permit thevalve to close by gravity comprising a'bi-metallic element, a casinghousin the same, the casing being open to permit flow of fluid from theieceptacle thereinto, a plate calibrated to indicate temperature, afixed point relative to which the calibrations may be read, a shaft onwhichthe plate is rotatably. mounted, a pointer member attached to theshaft and adapted to be moved to indicate any one of the degrees oftemperature, means for securing the pointer member in any of itspossible positions to the plate, a shaft to whichthe bi-metallic elementis secured, the

said shaft being 'in geared relation with the said plate whereby thesame 'ma be turned by expansion or contraction n the bi-metallicelement, and means whereby, upon the turning of the plate and pointermember to registration with the fixed point, the valve holding lever isreleased permitting the valve to close by gravity.

6. Means for controlling operation of a valve to control flow of steamfor heating a material comprising a device adapted to be actuated toclose the valve and shut ofi? the steam, means influencedby temperaturechange to actuate the device, the said means comprising a bi-metallicelement subject to influence of the temperature of the heated vmaterial, a member calibrated to indicate degrees of temperature andmoved b y means of theelongation or contraction of the bimetallicelement, an indicator member mov- 10 able on the calibrated member toindicate any predetermined temperature, and an element moved by thepositioning of thesaid indicator member to such position that the saidvalve closing device is actuated to close the valve when the materialhas attained the temperature indicated by the indicator memher.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

WILLIAM M. CHACE.

